ARGENTINA SHUTS IGUAZU FALLS AFTER RIVER FLOW SURGES SIXFOLD

Argentina temporarily closed tourist access to Iguazu Falls after heavy rainfall linked to the El Niño climate pattern pushed the Iguazu River's flow above 12,000 cubic metres per second, more than six times its average rate of roughly 1,500 to 1,800 cubic metres per second. Iguazu National Park officials imposed the restrictions on Monday, limiting movement of people and access to public-use areas as a precaution. José María Hervás, the park's director, told the Buenos Aires Times the closure was a "precautionary measure" because "it just keeps raining" and the volume of water released from dams upstream on the Iguazu River had not fallen. The park said access would reopen on Tuesday, citing a "gradual decline" in the river's flow. The Argentine Devil's Throat Circuit has been closed since 3 August 2026, while the rest of the Argentine side of the park has remained open to visitors.

Iguazu Falls, recognised by Unesco as one of the world's largest waterfall systems, sits on the border between Argentina and Brazil and spans approximately 2,700 metres. The park was closed on the Argentinian side in both 2023 and 2024 because of flooding during a previous El Niño cycle. El Niño originates in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, where shifting winds release heat into the atmosphere, altering rainfall patterns across the world; it builds through the autumn in the northern hemisphere and peaks in December, with effects lasting into the following year. Argentina's National Meteorological Service said last month that the country's coastal region had experienced above-average rainfall "similar to that seen during strong El Niño events."

Some meteorologists describe the 2026-2027 El Niño as likely to be the most intense on record, and some scientists say human-caused global heating may be intensifying such events. In September, Iguazu National Park said El Niño raises the likelihood of wetter and more changeable conditions across parts of southern South America but stressed this "does not mean Iguazu Falls will remain flooded or closed throughout 2026-2027." The park advised travellers to monitor official notices, build in extra time and treat boat tours and exposed walkways as weather-dependent. Argentina's National Meteorological Service said in August that the probability of above-normal rainfall increases along the coast during El Niño, with more frequent episodes of intense rain.